Automobile



Feb. 13, 1923.

M. H. L. SIZAIRE.

AUTOMOBILE.

FILED MAY 6,1920.

ESHEETS-SHEET 1.

Feb. 13, 1923. 1,445,181.

hwy/Way; 7

AUTOMOBILE.

FILED MAY 6,1920. a SHEETSVSHEET3 Feb. 13, 1923.

M. H. L. SIZAIRE.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Feb. 13, 1923.

M. H. L. SIZAIRE.

AUTOMOBILE.

FILED MAY 6.1920.

6 SHE 'SSHEET 5.

Feb. 13, 1923.

M. H. L. SIZAIRE.

"AuToMomLE.

FILED MAY 5.1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6 Patented Feb. 13,1923.

uurrao STATES 1,445,181 PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE HIPPOLYTE LOUIS SIZAIRE, OF LONDON, ENGLANDi AUTOMOBILE.

Application filed Kay 6, 1920. Serial No. 379,851.

To all whom it may camera: I

Be it known that I, MAURICE HIPPOLYTE LoUIs Suzanne, a citizen of theFrench Republic, residing at Park Royal, London N. W. 10, England, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Connection with Automobiles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in connection with automobilevehicles and has reference to the arrangement and construction of thedash boards thereof.

The main object of the invention is to render electrical switch anddistribution boards together with receptacles for tools, accessories andspare parts more readily accessible than is usually the case, especiallyat night. For this purpose the dashboard is formedin two arts, aninstrument board carrying the dia s of the-various instruments andswitches employed and a second portion sloping forwardly from the baseof the instrument board and consisting of one or more hinged members orplates one of which carries the terminals, switches and fuses, for

example, of the various electrical circuits employed. Another hingedplate would carry pockets adapted to contain tools. accessories or spareparts whilst all these hinged plates together with the controllingswitches on the dashboard may be illuminated by the means described inmy prior British specification No. 22160/19.

. The arrangements above described possess the advantages that theswitches controlling the electrical circuits can be operated with easeand precision by day or night enabling a diversity of circuits to beemployed with safety, whilst in the case of a breakdown the requiredtool or accessory can be found' quickly. Further the arrangement of thehinged electrical distribution board enables faults, breakages orblow-outs to be located immediately thus increasing the facilities forquick and easy rectification.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevationshowing the invention applied to an automobile.

Fig. 2 is a general elevation of the improved dashboard.

Fig. 3 is a lan of the hinged plate forming the distri ution board.

Figs. 4 and 4' are side elevations partly in section OfiFig. 3 and Fig.5 is an elevation showing the central portion of Fig. 2 on an enlargedscale.

In the drawings, 1 is an instrument formed with the dashboard roper, onwhich are disposed the dials of the various instruments. employed and onwhich is mounted a facia or switch plate 2 forming part of the slopinghinged plate 3 hinged, as shown at 4 at the end remote from the switchplate 2.

Projecting through the switch plate 2 are a'series of switch handles ormilled knobs 5 adapted to operate insulated rotatable drums 6 mounted inbearings formed on the brackets 7 and 8. Although only three .suchswitch handles are shown on the drawings any number may be employed tosuit varying circumstances.

The drums 6 are mounted on spindles9 having at one end the milled knob5, whilst the other end is squared as at 10 and accommodated in thespring clip 11 to maintain the drum in one of its four definedpositions. Any other suitable arrangement may be employed to maintainthe spindle in position such for instance as a steel ball urged by aspring into any one of four concavi ties formed in the end of thespindle.-

Mounted in the switch plate are the dials of an ammeter, volt meter andthe like indicating instruments provision also being made for a springurged press button 22 adapted to actuate an electrically operated selfstarter as hereinafter described.

A bracket or bridge 12 mounted on the hinged plate 3 carries one end ofa fuse 13 of suitable type in a'spring clip 14. This spring clip 14 isin metallic contact with the terminal lug 15 but insulated by suitablematerial from the bridge 12.

The other end of the fuse 13 is carried in a similar spring clip 16mounted .on and insulated from the bracket 7. Contacting with the springclip 16 and a spring urged contact 17 is a small plate or bar 18, formedto any suitable shape to suit its particular position on thedistribution board as illus trated in Fig. 3. The invention is notlimited to the precise number or selection of the terminal lugs 15,variations being made in practice to meet special circumstances.

Spring urged contacts 19 are in circuit with a bar 20 which in thisparticular selection is connected to a fuse and terminal lug 15 of thedynamo, thus forming a connection common to all. the three rotatabledrums 6.-

The various connections are looped over the point of hinge and broughtup through a clip or bridge 21 and led away to their respective terminallugs in the usual manner.

A motor self starting switch comprising a spring urged button or thelike 22 is preferably arranged in the switch plate 2 and functions toclose the generator-motor circuit.

Mounted on the drum spindles 9 are translucent dials 23 which carrysuitable wording to indicate the position of the switches. These dialsmay be made of porcelain, muranesc glass celluloid or the like and areilluminated from behind as described in the specification forming partof my application Serial No. 353,189. for Letters Patent of the UnitedStates filed January 22, 1920, allowed January 8, 1921. They are soarranged that only one portion, preferably a quarter of thecircumference, is visible through a slot 24 according to the position ofthe switch handle. Any number of dials may be employed and the letteringaltered to suit va'rying conditions without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

The following is an example of the kind of control which may be effectedby the improved construction. One dial may indicate in one position thattail and head lights are in circuit, in another position that taillights only are in circuit, in a third position that headlights aredimmed and in a fourth position that all lights in the circuit are off.Other switches would control the right and left side lights and taillights separately whilst a third switch would control the chargingcircuit and the dashboard lights.

2 is unlocked and lowered together with thehinged plate 3 to theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 when the fuses and otherelectrical subsidiary accessories are exposed to view, the whole beingilluminated by small electric lamps 27 or the like disposed immediatelyabove or within the interior of the dashboard facing, for example asshown in Fig. 1 and in the manner described in my prior specificationabove referred to.

Provision is also made on the dashboard for tools, spare parts, sparkingplugs and the like in two hinged receptacles 25 and 26 which whenlowered into operative positions are also illuminated by lights disposedwithin the interior of the dashboard facing.

It will be seen that according to the present invention the hinged plate3 forming the distribution board as well as the hinged plates 25 and 26forming receptacles are rendered very accessible at night, the whole ofthe interiorbeing illuminated as hereinbefore mentioned.

I claim 1. In an automobile vehicle, a dashboard, an instrument board,hinged plates below said instrument board, said plates be ng hinged tothe vehicle body, and an electrical switch and distribution board and atool receptacle carried by said hinged plates.

2. In an automobile vehicle, a dashboard, an instrument board, latesbelow said instrument board, hinged connections between said plates andthe vehicle body, an electrical switch and distribution board, and atool receptacle carried by said plates, means for securing said platesin closed position, and means carrried by one of said hinged platesadapted to give visual indications on the dashboard face of, thepositions of the electrical switches and conditions of the circuits.

3. In an automobile vehicle, a dashboard,

an instrument board, a plurality of plates hingedly secured to thevehicle body, a

switch and distribution board carried by one of said plates, a faceplate carrying switch operating means and means indicating switch andcircuit conditions and means for securing saidface plate detachably tosaid instrument board.

4. In an automobile vehicle, a dashboard, an instrument board, a platebelow said instrument board, and secured to the vehicle body and aplurality of rotary switch devices mounted on said plate andcontrollingall the electrically operated devices of the vehicle.

5. In an automobile vehicle, a dashboard, an instrument board, a platebelow said instrument board, and secured to the vehicle body, aplurality of rotary switch devices mounted on said plate and controllingall of the electrically operated devices of the vehicle, and additionalhinged plates disposed at either side of said first named plate to formreceptacles for tools.

6. In an automobile vehicle, a dashboard, an instrument board, a platebelow said instrument board, and secured to the vehicle body, aplurality of rotaryswitch devices mounted on said plate and controllingall the electrically operated devices of the vehicle, a face plateintegral with said hinged plate and means for detachably securlng saidface plate flush with said instrument board.

7 In an automobile vehicle, a dashboard, an instrument board, a platebelow said instrument board, and secured to the vehicle body, aplurality of terminals mounted upon said plate, means connecting saidterminals with the electrically operated deswitch devices cooperatingWith said terminals and means for detachably securing said plate to saidinstrument board.

8. In an automobile vehicle, a dashboard, an instrument board, a platebelow said instrument board, and secured to the vehicle body, aplurality of terminals mounted upon said plate, means connecting saidterminals with the electrically operated devices of the vehicle, aplurality of rotary switch devices cooperating with said terminals, aface plate integral with said hinged plate, means carried by said faceplate to operate said rotary switch devices and to indicate thepositions thereof and conditions of the circuits and means for securingsaid face plate to said instrument board.

9. In an automobile vehicle. a dashboard, an instrument board, a platebelow said instrument board, and secured to the vehicle body, a,plurality of terminals mounted upon said plate, means connectingsaidterminals with the electrically operated devices of the vehicle, meansfor connecting said terminals in variable combinations With a source ofelectrical energy, and means for detachably securing said hinged plateto said instrument board.

10. In an automobile vehicle, a dashboard, an instrument board, aforwardly inclined plate below said instrument board, and secured to thevehicle body, a plurality of terminals mounted upon said plate, meansconnecting said terminals with the electrically operated devices of thevehicle, means for connecting said terminals in variable combinationswith a source of electrical energy, a pair of hinged plates forming toolreceptacles disposed one on either side of said inclined plate, anddetachably secured to said instrument board.

In Witnesses whereof I aflix my signature.

MAURICE HIPPOLYTE LOUIS SlZAlRE.

